Talking with a friend last night who'd seen The Rev a couple of times in the 60s, including one memorable occasion when he played (Manchester Free Trade Hall) with his back to the main audience. He turned his chair around after the first number when he heard where the applause was coming from.

Love it. I went to see him at Fairfield Hall, Croydon July 1965. At one point somebody shouted a couple of times for Twelve Gates To The City. RGD replied it was a "judgement number" and if Gabriel called he (i.e Davis) wouldn't be "ready" and as he wasn't "ready" he wasn't going to play it - and he didn't. The audience applauded that.

He touched women "inappropriately", eh? Sounds like Ray Charles auditioning his Raelettes. Perhaps Sister Rosetta didn't care too much for his hand style, which is maybe why he never thought much of her guitar style. I certainly wouldn't want to have messed with her. Mind you, a teenage Aurora Block felt safe enough to go to his place for lengthy guitar lessons; maybe in the presence of his wife, Davis was wise enough to keep his fingering strictly on the fretboard.

The cover has been on the University of Chicago Press page for at least 6 months so I guess Zack hasn't kept his FB page up to date. Publication info now just gives "April 2015" - probably a wise move....

"Long time comin' and here at last! This fabulous book is for those who want to read, hear, and troll the depths of Americana music for incredible artists. Once you come across Rev. Gary Davis, you are forever hooked by his creative brilliance. From his earliest recordings to his last, Zack illuminates what made 'the Rev' so unique. Enjoy yourself! It's a good un'!" -Taj Mahal

"Finally, the biography that Rev. Davis deserves. Ian Zack takes 'Blind Gary' out of the footnotes and into the footlights of the history of American music. Like John Coltrane, George Gershwin, Jimi Hendrix, and the rest of the very few, Davis's genius was unique and uncompromising. How he was able to take gospel and blues and create a style that was so unique and so powerful is a story that had to be told. Now, thanks to Zack's careful research and unbounded respect for his subject, we finally have insight into the art and environment that was Davis's life story. With this biography, Davis can finally take his place in the pantheon of the greatest of American musicians." -Steve Katz, cofounder of Blood, Sweat & Tears

"Rev. Gary Davis had a rich and colorful but challenging life. Zack has put together the pieces of Davis's life in an exciting and detailed way. This biography reads like a novel! It details the life and times of Davis, as well as the evolution of his music and the influence he had on generations of black and white musicians. A must-read for anyone interested in the blues, the folk revival, or the life of a true American genius." -Stefan Grossman

"Davis was a complex and difficult man, and it is to Zack's great credit that this comes through, along with the obvious admiration so many young musicians had for 'the Rev.' Say No to the Devil provides plenty of material to interest fans and newcomers alike." -Elijah Wald